Fewer regular Employment Insurance recipients in most provinces in January
The number of Canadians receiving regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits declined by 11,000 (-1.9%) to 555,000 in January, following little variation in December. The decrease in the number of recipients with regular EI benefits in January was proportionally the largest in Quebec (-5,900; -4.6%), followed by Manitoba (-700; -3.7%), Saskatchewan (-500; -3.1%), Alberta (-1,600; -2.4%) and Newfoundland and Labrador (-700; -2.4%). In Ontario, there was little variation in the number of regular EI recipients in January.
International visitors drive growth in tourism spending
Real tourism gross domestic product (GDP) grew 1.2% in the fourth quarter of 2025. By comparison, economy-wide real GDP by industry contracted 0.1% during the same period. Tourism GDP accounted for 1.74% of nominal GDP in the fourth quarter. Spending by international visitors grew 3.6%, the fastest pace in two years. Tourism spending on all products increased, with passenger air transport (+5.3%) and accommodation services (+2.8%) contributing most to the overall growth.
Majority of provinces post higher interprovincial sales in manufacturing goods in 2024
The value of total interprovincial trade (including trade with and between territories) of manufactured goods rose 0.7%, from $166.2 billion in 2023 to $167.4 billion in 2024. The largest increase in the sales of manufactured goods in 2024 came from factories in New Brunswick (+$2.2 billion) and Alberta (+$2.1 billion). By contrast, the largest declines came from factories in Ontario (-$3.4 billion) and Quebec (-$0.8 billion).
Canadian-born families have more wealth than recent immigrant families, but less than established immigrant families
The wealth that immigrants accumulate after coming to Canada is a long-term indicator of their socioeconomic mobility and well-being. In 2023, the net worth of recent immigrant families (those who have been in Canada less than 10 years) was less than half as much as that of Canadian-born families at a comparable stage in their lives ($293,900). By contrast, the median net worth of established immigrant families was $751,500 in 2023, which was $143,000 more wealth than that of Canadian-born families at a comparable stage in their lives.
Mining and quarrying expected to set a new record in 2026
Many Canadians continue to opt for zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) to get around. Whether hybrid or full electric, ZEVs require a lot of critical minerals for their batteries and other electrical components. Nickel, cobalt and copper saw increased production in 2025, while recoverable lithium was just shy of 2024’s record high. The broader mining and quarrying (except oil and gas) subsector is expected to increase its capital expenditures to a record $18.5 billion in 2026.
Source: Canada’s mining sector ramps up spending to power electric vehicles
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